Chesterton's Mysteries

Volume one of a six volume collection Gilbert Keith Chesterton was one of the most influential English writers of the twentieth century. He put his mind and pen to a broad spectrum of subjects including theology, poetry, biography, journalism and philosophy. Great writers have no influence over those parts of their work which posterity decides is most significant or will be best remembered, in Chesterton’s case-in the minds of many-he will forever be remembered as the creator of the little Roman Catholic priest-detective, Father Brown. The vitality of that character has endured, evergreen, never losing its charm. Chesterton, was a lover of detective and mystery fiction and his own contribution to the genre extends far beyond the Father Brown stories. Leonaur has collected Chesterton’s fabulous, intriguing and entertaining mysteries-in order of original book publication-into six substantial volumes to enable his many aficionados to own and read them in either softcover or hardback with dust jacket for collectors. This collection is the ideal way to possess these essential books of crime, mystery and detection and no enthusiast’s library will be complete without them.

Volume one includes an introduction by Chesterton himself on the subject of detective fiction followed by ‘The Club of Queer Trades’-a linked collection of tales where each principal character has a peculiar occupation-and ‘The Man Who Was Thursday’ where, in a strange London, a poet is recruited by Scotland Yard to seek out a group of anarchists.